


a love like ours, it'll fill the whole sky

by guitarstrings



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Bandori Rarepair Week 2019, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Summer festival date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-18 10:49:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19333042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guitarstrings/pseuds/guitarstrings
Summary: Saya giggles as Tomoe gives them a vigorous nod before quickly scrambling to grab her hand, leading them both back out onto the path connecting the other stalls. After a while, Tomoe realizes she’s just wandering around aimlessly, and, ears going red, she stops dead in her tracks with Saya following her.“So, uh, is there someplace you want to check out first?” Tomoe asks Saya sheepishly.“Why, Tomoe, I thought you’d never ask,” Saya teases, mirth shining in her eyes.





	a love like ours, it'll fill the whole sky

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally just supposed to be Tomoe and Saaya going out on their first summer festival date, but it somehow blew up into this. Whew. No regrets though. I hope you guys enjoys this! :)
> 
> Title of this fic taken from "Shine" by Jason Mraz.
> 
> P.S. You guys can talk to me on twitter: @guitarstrings04 :)

With the day of the upcoming summer festival looming closer and closer, the shopping district has been nothing short of busy the past few days with making the necessary preparations. Ever so steadily, the streets are being filled one by one with different stalls from local businesses – a big number of them focused on food like cakes and cookies from Tsugumi’s family, croquettes from Hagumi’s, and bread from Saya’s.

Every year, the residents of the shopping district go all out with the preparations with everyone pouring in their hard work into making sure the festival becomes a success. There’s never a shortage of helping hands to go around, and Tomoe is one of those.

Aside from being part of the taiko team, she also runs errands for whoever might need it along with Ako’s assistance. She isn’t the type who can sit still and do nothing while other people are hard at work, so there’s always a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment when she keeps herself busy with finishing different sorts of tasks.

If it would make other people happy, then Tomoe is more than willing to put every ounce of effort she can into doing her job.

So, it goes without saying that Tomoe is always looking forward to the shopping district’s summer festivals. Though this year, it’s going to be a lot better and she’s a lot more excited than she normally is for one major reason:

She and Saya are going out on their first official festival date since getting together.

It was the biggest thing she’d been looking forward to ever since summer vacation started, and now that it’s only a few days away, Tomoe can’t help but count the hours in her eagerness.

Just the thought of it brings a goofy grin to Tomoe’s face, making her want to jump and shout for joy the way she did after Saya had thrown her arms around Tomoe’s neck, giggling happily as she said yes to being her girlfriend.

They’d both been on cloud nine that time, Saya’s eyes sparked with elation and dotted with constellations as she looked up at Tomoe.

And if that wasn’t the most beautiful, breathtaking thing Tomoe had ever seen in her life, then she doesn’t know what is.

Excitement coursing through her veins, Tomoe does a quick jog to where Saya’s family is setting up their stall, a huge grin breaking across her face when she sees Saya’s back turned to her. Then, before Saya can sense her approach, Tomoe closes the distance between them in long, quick, strides, then wraps her arms around Saya’s front and lifts her off the ground.

A shocked gasp escapes Saya, which soon melts away into a round of giggles when she realizes it’s Tomoe holding her up. “Tomoe!” she chides, though her bright laugh gives her away.

Tomoe laughs in return and gently sets Saya back down, her stomach doing backflips when Saya strokes the back of her hand and leans back against Tomoe’s chest. Unable to simply stop there, Tomoe dips her head and kisses Saya’s hair, relishing in the dreamy sigh it earns her.

The sound has Tomoe smiling softly, the feeling of having Saya in her arms invigorating and giving her a fresh burst of energy from the inside out. Whatever it is she did to deserve to have someone as amazing as Saya, Tomoe is glad she did it.

“How’s your stall coming along?” Tomoe asks, hugging Saya a bit more tightly.

With a soft hum, Saya tilts her head back, and Tomoe bends her own so that their eyes could meet. An affectionate smile curls at Saya’s lips, fingertips tapping a random beat against Tomoe’s knuckles. “My dad just ran to get some the rest of the stuff we need, but we’re already done with the banner.”

Tomoe grins down at Saya. “Then I guess that means my timing’s perfect, huh?”

“It definitely is,” Saya agrees, a teasing glint in her eye as she squeezes Tomoe’s forearms. “Because we’re going to need another set of strong arms around here.”

“Good thing I’ve got them, then.”

Saya laughs and reaches up to poke at Tomoe’s cheek. “You’re such a dork,” she says, her smile melting into her voice.

“Maybe I am,” Tomoe agrees, causing Saya to shake her head fondly. “How are Jun, Sana, and your mom, by the way?”

“Oh, Jun and Sana stayed at the house to help mom cook lunch.”

“Wow. Those two sure are growing up, aren’t they?” Tomoe whistles, impressed.

“Yeah, they are…” Saya nods, a wistful, somewhat faraway look clouding her expression.

Being an older sibling herself, it’s a feeling Tomoe can sympathize with. Watching Ako steadily start to become more responsible makes Tomoe undeniably proud, but it wouldn’t hurt if Ako took her time, either.

Maybe it’s a big sister thing, having been the ones to look after their younger siblings for as long as they could remember.

In reassurance, Tomoe gives Saya’s waist a comforting squeeze and mumbles, “But hopefully not too fast, yeah?”

Saya lets out a quiet chuckle and nods again, her focus returning to the present and to Tomoe. “Mmm.”

“Well, there’s still plenty of time and we’ll make the most out of it,” Tomoe says, watching Saya’s smile grow fuller. “I bet they’ll have a lot of fun horsing around with Ako during the festival, too.”

“They do love playing with Ako,” Saya agrees. “But then I guess that means she won’t be wearing a yukata this year, huh?”

“She won’t, especially since she’s got a bit of a wild streak to her when it comes to these kinds of things,” Tomoe answers with a shrug.

At that, Saya grins and turns around in Tomoe’s arms until they come face-to-face. “Just like her older sister,” she remarks, amused, as she pinches Tomoe’s cheeks.

Wanting to indulge Saya’s playful side, Tomoe doesn’t even try to wriggle free and instead lets Saya do her thing until she’s had her fill. And Saya does soon enough, patting Tomoe’s cheek before letting her hand drop to her side.

Tomoe would’ve kissed her, too, but then Saya’s dad comes rushing back with a cart full of materials needed for finishing their stall, face breaking into a grin as he waves at Tomoe.

“Ah, Tomoe! Think you could lend us a hand?” he asks.

“Sure, no problem!” Tomoe answers without missing a beat, before quickly getting to sorting out the materials stacked on top of the cart. “Is it going to be the same as last year’s, uncle?”

“Yep! Thanks, Tomoe! We really appreciate all the help you’re giving us,” Saya’s dad says warmly before turning to Saya. “Right, Saya?”

As an answer, Saya takes Tomoe’s hand and gives it a light squeeze. “We always do,” she says with a loving smile, one that has Tomoe’s breath catching in her throat. “Thank you for always being kind not only to us, but to everyone else, too, Tomoe. The shopping district would be nowhere complete if we didn’t have you.”

Ears going red, Tomoe shakes her head and gives a slight laugh. “Nah, that’s- you’re giving me too much credit, Saya.”

“I’m not, though,” Saya disagrees, her hold on Tomoe’s hand tightening. “You might not hear it, but everyone talks a lot about how much they appreciate having you around. We’re all lucky to have you, Tomoe, because I know for a fact that I always have been ever since I met you.”

It’s like a shock to Tomoe’s system, the way Saya refuses to budge even a single inch over this. That, and…

Did she hear that last part right? That Saya has always felt lucky since the first time they met back when they were still kids?

“Saya is right, Tomoe,” Saya’s dad says in agreement, voice warm as he regards Tomoe. “Us adults aren’t getting any younger, so it’s reassuring to have kids like you around taking care of everyone.”

With a smile and a nod, Saya stretches out her fingers to stroke Tomoe’s cheek and softly says, “See? If Ako were here, I’m sure she would agree, too.”

Knowing that there’s no point in arguing, Tomoe chuckles and shakes her head before leaning in to press her lips against Saya’s forehead. “Okay, I got it. You win, Saya.”

Saya giggles and winks at Tomoe. “I wouldn’t have stopped until I did.”

Tomoe laughs, knowing full well that Saya _would_ do that. She can be very convincing that way, but that’s just one of the many things Tomoe likes about her. “But really,” she starts, looking both at Saya and her dad, “thanks, Saya. And thank you, uncle,” she says gratefully, earning her a fond ruffling of the hair by Saya’s dad.

Grinning broadly, Saya’s dad pats Tomoe’s shoulder before giving it a firm squeeze. “Hey, don’t mention it! You’ve always had a big heart even when you and Saya were kids, so it’s great to see that that hasn’t changed at all.”

“The biggest heart,” Saya affirms, and if she doesn’t stop soon, Tomoe swears her heart is going to burst straight out of her chest soon enough.

Tomoe’s not sure if she does have the biggest heart, but Saya and her family makes her feel like she does; and if that would help her show how much she cares about them, show how much their trust mean to her, then…

Then Tomoe will take it.

It’s the least she could do to thank them for trusting her with Saya, after all.

* * *

It’s almost noon by the time Tomoe and Saya’s dad have finished building the stall, the heat already blistering at that point and leaving Tomoe flushed and dripping with sweat. With a grimace, Tomoe wipes at her forehead with the back of her hand, uncomfortable with how sticky she currently feels.

Yep, a shower definitely sounds good right about now.

“Good job, Tomoe! Now all that’s left is for the festival and then we’re done,” Saya’s dad beams proudly while giving Tomoe a hearty clap on the back.

“Ah, thanks, uncle! I’ll help you set everything else up on the day itself, too,” Tomoe offers as she scratches at the back of her neck.

“That’s reassuring to hear, but it’ll make us happier if you and Saya have fun together, yeah?” Saya’s dad answers with a knowing expression, causing Tomoe to blush and cough into her palm.

“I, uh, y-yeah, sure. I promise,” Tomoe stammers.

It’s then that a familiar voice speaks up from behind them in a mock accusatory tone. “Dad, what did you tell Tomoe this time?”

Saya’s dad raises both arms in surrender and says, “Nothing! I was just thanking Tomoe for an amazing job, that’s all.”

Unconvinced, Saya turns to stare at Tomoe. Shrugging, Tomoe nods and adds, “Yeah, we’re already done building it, so…”

“The other guys are asking for my help, too, so I’ll go ahead, alright?” Saya’s dad says, and Tomoe is about to offer to go with him, but he shakes his head and gives her a stern look. “But you go get some rest, alright? I won’t be taking long, anyway, so I’ll be back home in time for lunch.”

Snapping her mouth shut, Tomoe nods and says nothing more. Satisfied by this, Saya’s dad waves them goodbye before heading off in the opposite direction, leaving Tomoe and Saya alone together again.

Quietly, Saya regards Tomoe’s flushed appearance for a moment before breaking into a fit of giggles. “Wow, Tomoe, you’re all sweaty,” she remarks in amusement.

Tomoe turns around to face Saya and flashes her a toothy grin. “Oh, is that so? Guess that means I shouldn’t come near you, then.”

Unfortunately for her, Saya has a comeback ready in place.

Smiling sweetly, Saya tilts her head to the side and says, “Well, that’s too bad, then. And here I prepared this bottle of cold water and a fresh towel for you to use…” she then sighs in mock disappointment, a slight frown tugging at her lips. “But since you can’t come near me, then-“

“Kidding!” Tomoe quickly exclaims, cutting Saya off before she can finish. “I was just kidding, Saya!”

This gets Saya to burst out laughing, a teasing twinkle in her eye as she takes a step forward. “You really aren’t good at handling the heat, huh?” her voice turns soft and sympathetic as she takes a closer look at the beads of sweat rolling down Tomoe’s skin.

“Yeah, kinda surprising, huh?” Tomoe says, taking the bottle of water that Saya offers her. She twists the cap open and downs the contents in one go, relief coursing through her veins at the cool sensation that slides down her throat.

“I _was_ surprised when I first found out,” Saya admits with a laugh. “I mean, who would’ve thought that _the_ Tomoe’s weakness would be the summer heat?”

“Well, you’re definitely not the only one who thought that,” Tomoe answers. “Plus, I sweat a lot, too.”

“Oh, I can see that,” Saya teases as she fishes out a towel from her tote bag. Tomoe reaches out to take it, but Saya just smiles and shakes her head. “Here, let me do it for you…” she murmurs, draping the towel over Tomoe’s neck and holds it by the ends to gently wipe the sweat off her face.

Breath stuck in her throat, Tomoe leans into the touch and chuckles. “You’re really spoiling me today, huh?”

“What can I say?” Saya gives Tomoe’s chest an affectionate pat, the spot where her fingertips linger leaving a bright, burning sensation in their wake. “Spoiling you is fun and you deserve it.” She then moves on to run the towel over Tomoe’s neck and arms, and Tomoe finds herself being in awe of how good Saya is at taking care of others all over again.

Because of that, Tomoe’s darn well going to make sure she gives Saya the time of her life as much as she possibly can. Saya deserves that and more – heck, she deserves to have the sun, the moon, the stars, and just everything the universe can give her.

It’s with that thought that Tomoe reaches for Saya’s hand, heart fluttering in her chest as she runs her thumbs over Saya’s palm. She wonders how many stars she could fit into it, wonders if they would shine brighter in Saya’s grasp than they do in the night sky.

Maybe they would – Saya always did have a way of making everything else look brighter, after all.

“Thanks, Saya. You deserve to be spoiled, too,” Tomoe answers.

Saya smiles and brings Tomoe’s hand to her chest, right above her beating heart. “Mmm… Thank you, Tomoe,” she hums, eyes closing as she nuzzles her cheek against Tomoe’s knuckles. “Hey, why don’t you join us for lunch?”

“Eh?” Tomoe blinks. “It’s okay, Saya, we’ve got leftover food from last night at our house.”

At that, Saya frowns and tightens her grip. “But your parents are at work and Ako has band practice with Roselia, doesn’t she?”

“Ah, yeah, but-“

Before she can protest any further, Saya presses a finger to Tomoe’s lips and shakes her head. “It’s either that or I’ll keep you company at your house. Either way, you’re not getting rid of me, Tomoe.”

There’s a mix of firmness and gentleness in the way Saya says it, the look in her eyes telling Tomoe she won’t stop until Tomoe agrees with her.

Not that Tomoe ever needed a lot of convincing when it comes to Saya, anyway.

“Alright, you win,” Tomoe concedes with a chuckle. “I guess you’re going to be stuck with me, then.”

And Saya positively beams, face shining brighter than the sun that Tomoe feels the wind being knocked right out of her lungs. Then, stepping closer to her, Saya bumps their shoulders together and softly says, “Well, I always did like being stuck with you, Tomoe.”

Tomoe could only pull Saya to her side and press a kiss against the side of her head, her chest swelling with so much affection she’s not sure how she hasn’t exploded yet.

And man, the things Tomoe would do to see Saya’s face light up like the sun every time.

* * *

After helping wash the dishes and a fresh shower that Saya and her mom had insisted that Tomoe take at their house, Tomoe finds herself inside Saya’s bedroom, the fresh change of clothes and the cool air blasting from the fan giving her some much-needed relief from the heat.

They’re both on the floor, Saya sitting cross-legged with Tomoe’s head resting on her lap, a fond smile on her face as she massages Tomoe’s temple. From Saya’s open window, the twinkling of the wind chimes drifts across the air and carries over with Saya’s quiet singing, giving off a feeling of perfect calm and stillness.

A happy noise bubbles out of Tomoe’s throat from the soothing sensation of Saya’s fingertips gliding across her scalp, lips stretching out into a lazy grin as Saya begins to add the right amount of pressure into the touch.

Saya presses her thumb into the space behind Tomoe’s ears, causing a low groan to rumble in her chest. The noise has Saya giggling, but Tomoe is enjoying the attention she’s being given too much to even care.

“Happy?” Saya asks, thumbs sliding down to stroke Tomoe’s jaw in loose circles.

Tomoe closes her eyes and releases a content sigh. “Very.”

“Me, too,” Saya whispers, prompting Tomoe to open her eyes back open to gaze up at her.

“Yeah?” Tomoe reaches for Saya’s hand and brings it to her chest. There she presses Saya’s open palm against her heart, where it starts to beat faster. “What about now?”

Saya bites back a smile and curls her fingers inwards, scratching lightly at the well-worn material of the sleepshirt Tomoe is wearing.

A shirt that used to belong to her, by the way, until Saya swiped it from her closet during one of their sleepovers and never gave it back.

“The happiest,” Saya murmurs, then taps a beat to match the rhythm of Tomoe’s heart before moving on to push the sleeves past Tomoe’s shoulders, nails raking against the ripples of her biceps along the way.

To think that the clothes Saya had swiped from her closet would come in handy at a time like this, Tomoe thinks with a chuckle.

“What’s so funny?” Saya asks, an amused smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Tomoe shrugs and tilts her head to meet Saya’s eyes. “I just never thought I’d be able to wear any of the clothes you borrowed from me ever again.” She then pulls on the hem of Saya’s shirt (which also used to be hers, by the way) to make a point.

“Well, it proved useful today, didn’t it?” Saya points out.

At that, Tomoe laughs. “Yeah, it sure did,” she agrees.

Silence then falls between them, and Tomoe makes the most of it by lifting a hand to twirl a lock of Saya’s hair around her fingers. The strands, soft and silky, slide past Tomoe’s fingertips with ease that she can’t help but start playing with them.

After a while, Saya takes Tomoe by the wrist and nuzzles her cheek into her palm before scattering light kisses around it, paying close attention to the callouses there, then does the same with Tomoe’s other hand. Tomoe sucks in a breath when Saya’s lips reach the insides of her wrists, the curve of a smile tickling her skin along the way.

It feels like the world has come to a standstill for the two of them, everything else quiet except for the carefree swaying of the wind chimes in the summer breeze, the whirring of the fan, and their steady, rhythmic breathing.

If Tomoe could, she’d let this go on forever.

“What are you thinking of?” Saya asks in a voice barely above a whisper, her cheek pressed against Tomoe’s wrist.  

Tomoe hums, a grin breaking across her face. “Just wondering what your yukata looks like.”

This gets her a flick on the forehead.

“Nice try,” Saya deadpans. “But I’m not telling you anything, so you’ll have to wait until the festival to see it.”

“Aww…” Tomoe pouts and gives Saya her best puppy dog eyes. “Not even a little hint?”

Amused by Tomoe’s antics, Saya laughs, not looking the least bit swayed by her pleading expression. “That’s cute, but nope, I want to keep it a surprise,” she says with a wink.

And yup. Going by that, Tomoe already knows that whatever Saya would look like in that yukata, it’s definitely going to be the death of her.

It’ll take a miracle for her not to be caught off guard, because Saya just-

Saya has this way of rendering her speechless and nonfunctioning without even trying. It’s not that Tomoe is easily reduced into a disaster, of course not, but Saya is always too beautiful for words so you can’t blame her for reacting that way, right?

And boy, Tomoe can only imagine how breathtakingly gorgeous Saya is going to look in that yukata.

* * *

There’s a building sense of anticipation and nervousness swelling in Tomoe’s chest by the time she arrives at Saya’s house at the day of the festival. She’s currently wearing her taiko outfit, a change of clothes ready in the duffel bag slung around her shoulders for after their taiko performance for when she and Saya walk around to explore the different stalls.

And sure, they’ve hung out at a few of them in the past, but never alone together and especially not out for a date.

Tonight is going to be the first, and Tomoe swears she’ll do everything in her power make sure that Saya enjoys every single second of it or she’ll die trying.

Saya doesn’t deserve anything less than the best, after all, with how much of herself she gives to others – with how much she trusts Tomoe enough to be with her.

Taking a deep breath, Tomoe pushes the door open, and she’s greeted by Saya’s mom appearing from the side door that connects the kitchen to the store front.  

“Ah, Tomoe! Welcome back.” Saya’s mom welcomes her with a warm smile, again reminding Tomoe of how much Saya looks a lot like her. “You’re right on time; Saya’s just adding a few finishing touches and then she’ll be ready to go.”

Tomoe nods and follows Saya’s mom into the kitchen, her eyes drifting to the stairs that lead to the bedrooms. It’s quiet inside, with Ako already having gone ahead to pick Jun and Sana up while Saya’s dad is already looking after their stall.

“Would you like some tea while you wait?” Saya’s mom asks.

“Ah, no, I’m okay, auntie,” Tomoe answers, shaking her head. “I don’t want to bother you.”

“Oh, silly, you could never be a bother to us,” Saya’s mom chuckles. “You’ve always been such a big help to our family, after all.”

Cheeks turning red, Tomoe scratches at the back of her neck and shuffles her feet against the ground. She never really did know how to respond to compliments, and especially not the ones she gets from Saya and the rest of her family.

That doesn’t mean she can’t try, though.

“You’ve always been so kind to us, auntie, and I just hope I can give that back to you,” Tomoe says, hoping it’s enough because she’s never really been all that good with words.

Eyes softening, Saya’s mom gives Tomoe’s shoulders a gentle squeeze and offers her an encouraging smile. “And you are. As a mother, there’s nothing I want more than to see my children happy, and believe me when I say that Saya feels that way every time she talks about how kind you are, Tomoe.”

A huge lump forms in Tomoe’s throat, making it hard for her to swallow and do anything else except stand there and let the words crash over her like a tidal wave. It reminds her of that first time that Saya had also called her kind, her voice a heartfelt murmur as she gazed at Tomoe with a certain gentleness and a flicker of emotion that hadn’t been there before then.

And Tomoe had always known how she feels about Saya, but something about that look had Tomoe feeling even stronger for her.

It was as if something was burning in her chest, and it burned so intensely that it refused to die down, much less fade even the slightest bit for a single second. There was no stopping it, no brakes to step on to slow Tomoe down until she comes screeching to a halt.

Not that she ever would, even if the chance were to be given to her.

“Saya, she-“ Tomoe pauses and sucks in a breath before continuing, “-it’s never been hard to make her smile or laugh, even back when we were kids. And when she does, it makes me happy, too.”

And it’s true. Whenever Saya smiles or laughs or giggles, it’s like the first ray of sunshine breaking through dark clouds after the rain has stopped. There’s something infectious about the way Saya’s bright laughter rings in the air, something beautiful and absolutely breathtaking about the way she can reel people in with nothing more than that bubbly sparkle in her eyes.

And boy did it reel Tomoe in.

“Then you don’t need to worry about trying too hard or that you might not be doing enough,” Saya’s mom says knowingly, yet another trait that Saya had gotten from her. “You said it yourself, Tomoe. It doesn’t take a lot to make Saya happy, and I can see that every little thing you do means a lot to her.”

Before Tomoe can wrap her head around this, Saya’s voice drifts into the kitchen all the way from the top of the stairs, “I’m ready, mom! Is Tomoe there?”

With a knowing smile, Saya’s mom gives Tomoe a gentle push in the direction of the steps and motions for her to answer. “I’ll be going on ahead to our stall, so you can take your time, okay?” she whispers, and with that turns around and disappears through the side door, leaving Tomoe to swallow and inhale deeply to try and contain her nerves.

“I- I’m here, Saya!” Tomoe croaks out, then takes a step back when she hears the quiet thudding of Saya’s footsteps.

To Tomoe, the wait for Saya to appear in front of her feels like an eternity, her heart stuck in her throat and her thoughts running a million miles a second while she tries to mentally prepare herself for what’s about to come next.

But when Saya reaches the foot of the stairs, looking every bit as beautiful as she is wearing a golden yukata with accented sunflower prints that easily stand out and capture her attention just as quickly, Tomoe decides that no amount of preparation could have ever made her feel ready for this.

The bright yellow belt, wrapped neatly around Saya’s waist and complimenting the details of her outfit, looks like it’s doing a much better job at holding the yukata together than Tomoe’s desperate attempts at trying to form proper sentences in her head.

If Tomoe wasn’t breathless before, then she sure as heck is now. Her heart is beating so loudly she’s afraid it’s going to jump out of her chest the moment Saya takes another step towards her; and her lungs are on the verge of collapsing from the effort of trying to force oxygen inside her system.

But hey, it wouldn’t be a bad way to go if this is the last thing Tomoe sees.

Except, as if Saya taking every last bit of Tomoe’s breath by just standing there isn’t enough, a soft blush starts to crawl across her cheeks, and along with it a shy smile that tugs faintly at the corners of Saya’s lips.

Tomoe’s not sure anymore whether she’s still alive or if she’s already dead at this point. Or maybe she’s stuck somewhere in between; only, the side where she’s dead is earning major points right now.

It’s a good thing Saya’s mom stepped out, because Tomoe doesn’t think she can handle having an audience to watch her gape wordlessly at Saya.

“Hi, Tomoe…” Saya greets her with a breathy giggle, then lifts a hand to reach out and touch Tomoe’s cheek.

The light stroke of her fingertips jerks Tomoe back to reality, her eyes drifting to Saya’s sparkling, starlit ones, and it’s as though they’re inviting Tomoe home.

Without waiting for a second longer, Tomoe takes that chance by curling her fingers around Saya’s wrist and leans in until their foreheads are touching.

“You look-“ Tomoe swallows and takes a deep breath, smiling as Saya rubs their foreheads together. “You look really beautiful, Saya. Your yukata suits you perfectly, too.”

“Was it a good surprise?” Saya teases with a soft laugh.

Tomoe chuckles and nods, pulling back so she can look at Saya more clearly. “You got me good, so yeah, it was a great surprise,” she agrees.

“There’s just one last thing, though,” Saya says, taking out a sunflower hairpin from her pouch to offer it to Tomoe. “I was hoping you could help me with that?”

Tomoe takes the hairpin without missing a beat and answers, “You don’t even need to ask, Saya.”

This brings out another shy smile from Saya, and if that doesn’t have Tomoe falling harder for her, then she doesn’t know what would. “Alright, here we go…” Tomoe murmurs, pushing a bit of Saya’s bangs aside so she can clip the hairpin in place. “There, I think we’re good.”

A grin, bright and warm, breaks across Saya’s face as she closes the gap between them to kiss Tomoe. “Thank you, Tomoe,” she says, her voice full of affection that Tomoe feels her knees start to go weak.

Tomoe coughs into the back of her hand and croaks, “You, uh, you sure you don’t want to take a look at it first?”

“Mmm-mm!” Saya shakes her head and bumps the front of their shoulders together. “It’s fine. I trust you, Tomoe.”

Flushing a deep red, Tomoe scratches at the back of her neck and says, “O-okay, then. Should we go? Your mom already went ahead, by the way.”

“Yup, I wouldn’t want you to be late for your taiko performance.”

“That would be a shame,” Tomoe agrees. “Especially since I reserved a front-row standing spot for you.”

Saya’s eyes sparkle at that. “Ooh, giving me the special treatment now, aren’t we?”

“What can I say?” Tomoe flashes Saya a toothy grin. “You’re very special, Saya, so you deserve it.”

This causes Saya to go red and smack Tomoe on the arm. “T-Tomoe!” she exclaims, looking so flustered that Tomoe can’t stop herself from laughing.

“Hey, I’m just saying,” Tomoe says with an unapologetic shrug, then quickly twists to the side to dodge an incoming blow from Saya.

Saya eventually starts laughing, though, and that’s enough to spare Tomoe from the feeling of embarrassment that starts to make itself known for saying such a cheesy line.

* * *

As promised, Saya gets to stand out front with Ako, Jun, and Sana to accompany her, giving them a perfect view of the taiko team. From where Tomoe stands, she, too, is able to get a clear look at Saya; and even with so many people surrounding her, Saya still stands out from the rest of the crowd and shines the brightest underneath the colorful lights that dance over them.

Beside Saya, Ako and Jun are buzzing with excitement, and Tomoe flashes them a grin and a thumbs up. Seeing them there is more than enough to give Tomoe the extra burst of energy she needs, and it flows through her arms and connects with the drums, the booming noise resounding throughout the air.

Every strike Tomoe makes is as strong as the last, the beat coursing through her veins and pushing her right into the zone. She can feel the crowd’s eyes on her, watching her every move, but there’s one pair she can pick out and feel the most.

And sure enough, Tomoe finds them gazing right at her the moment she looks up. But it’s not just that; the stars have gathered there, too, and they’re all twinkling so beautifully that Tomoe finds herself completely caught up in them.

The sight steals both the oxygen from Tomoe’s lungs and the beat from her heart, yet at the same time gives her so much life, even though that probably doesn’t make any sense when you think about it.

But who cares about making sense when that’s how she feels right now?

When the last strike fades away into the night, Tomoe is pleasantly drained of the excess energy that had kept her going until the very end, and all she sees and hears are the cheers and claps of delight coming from Saya, Ako, Jun, and Sana.

Tomoe wipes away the sweat from her forehead and gives them a goofy grin; Ako yells something about how Tomoe’s performance was so cool, Jun and Sana are staring at her with awestruck expressions, and Saya-

Saya looks proud of her, too, her face glowing with joy the moment Tomoe’s gaze falls on her.

It’s everything Tomoe had ever hoped for, everything she could ever dare to ask for.

* * *

After changing into her casual clothes, Tomoe rushes over to where everyone else is waiting and is greeted by Ako barreling straight into her and hugging her tightly.

“Onee-chan! You were so cool! Everyone was dancing to your performance!” Ako says excitedly, her eyes gleaming as Tomoe ruffles her hair.

“Yeah? I’m glad to hear that our hard work paid off, then! Thanks, Ako!” Tomoe answers with a laugh.

“Mmm! You’re welcome, onee-chan!”

Then, with a giggle, Saya chimes in, “Jun and Sana were pretty starstruck with you, too, Tomoe.”

Upon hearing this, Tomoe approaches Jun and Sana and crouches down to give them both a high-five. “So does that mean you guys want to learn how to play taiko, too?”

Nodding vigorously, Jun exclaims, “Yeah! It looks like a lot of fun, so I wanna try it!”

“I want to try it, too, Tomoe-nee,” Sana agrees, somewhat shyly.

Tomoe then puffs out her chest and declares, “That’s the spirit!” Saya giggles at the sight, and Tomoe winks at her. “Alright, then how about this? You guys can ask Ako and your onee-chan to come with you and we’ll all give it a go, yeah?”

Jun and Sana visibly perk up at the suggestion, and Saya looks thrilled by the idea, too, much to Tomoe’s delight.

“Yay! We’ll have so much fun together, Ako guarantees it!” Ako announces confidently.

“Then it’s settled!” Tomoe stands up and pumps her fist high in the air. “The five of us will practice taiko together!”

Ako, Jun, and Sana follow up by letting out a collective cheer of excitement, while Saya watches on with an amused expression. Feigning disappointment at this, Tomoe shoots her an expression similar to that of a kicked puppy, which only adds to Saya’s amusement.

“Saya…” Tomoe coaxes, nudging Saya’s sides for added effect. “C’mon, you know you want to do it, too.”

“Sorry to burst your bubble, but I think I’m good,” Saya says pointedly, though her lips twitch into a slight smile.

“Aww, are you sure, Saya-chan? It’s fun, too, you know?” Ako pouts, eyes wide and pleading.

“Yeah, onee-chan!” Jun says in agreement. “Tomoe-nee is so good at pumping people up!”

“C’mon, Saya, what do you say?” Tomoe tries again, this time inching closer to Saya. “And if you want, you could do the cheer that Kasumi, Kokoro, and I did. You know, the one that goes, ‘Happy! Lucky! Popipapa! Soi-ya!’ I mean, it’s even got your band’s chant and everything, so it’s perfect, right!?”

For some reason, she even starts to wave her hands around, both out of enthusiasm and desperation for Saya to see her point.

On the other hand, Saya looks like she’s about to laugh, but manages to compose herself at the last second to stare at Tomoe in disbelief. “You can’t be serious, right?”

“Dead serious,” Tomoe answers with a nod.

“That’s… that’s even worse.”

“Wait, which one? The fact that I’m serious or the suggestion to do our combined cheer?”

“…both.”

Tomoe makes a strangled noise of protest, which gets Saya to burst out laughing at last. “S-Saya!” Tomoe groans, a furious blush spreading throughout her face.

In between fits of laughter, Saya manages to flick Tomoe in the forehead, and, gasping, goes, “Sorry, sorry! You were so excited explaining all of that and I just-“ she bites her lip to fight back an onslaught of giggles, her shoulders shaking as she braces herself by leaning against Tomoe. “You’re such a dork, Tomoe,” she sighs, but she says it with enough affection that Tomoe’s embarrassment starts to fade.

“So, is that a yes?” Tomoe asks hopefully.

Saya simply flashes her a sweet smile and a wink. “We’ll have to see about that.”

Then, as if to add fuel to the fire, Ako, Jun, and Sana yell in unison, “Happy! Lucky! Popipapa! Soi-ya!!!” with bright grins on their faces, and Tomoe starts blushing again.

Thankfully, Ako comes in to Tomoe’s rescue before things can get even more out of hand. “Ah, but you and Saya-chan have to go now, Tomoe-nee!” she cries out, giving both Tomoe and Saya an urgent push towards the direction of the stalls. “Have fun, okay? I’ll take care of Jun and Sana!”

“Alright, alright,” Tomoe laughs. “Saya and I will be counting on you, Ako!”

Ako slams a fist against her chest and proudly says, “Consider the quest completed!” before taking Jun and Sana by the hand and walking away, leaving Tomoe and Saya alone together.

They take a moment to themselves first, a soft smile curling at Saya’s lips as Tomoe extends her hand to gently grasp hers. “You were great out there, Tomoe. Everyone in the crowd was talking about how they could really feel the energy from your performance,” Saya says, voice warm as she runs her thumb over Tomoe’s knuckles.

Without thinking about it, Tomoe traps Saya’s thumb under her own, breath hitching when it draws Saya’s eyes to hers. “Y-yeah? I’m glad that you guys enjoyed it.”

“Well, you made taiko fans out of my siblings, so they definitely loved it a lot,” Saya answers with a fond chuckle. “And I did, too. Every time I watch you out there, I just know you’re going to have the time of your life and that you’ll make other people feel the same way.”

Tomoe’s grip on Saya’s thumb slackens, and Saya seizes the opportunity to pull it away and slide it down to Tomoe’s palm. There isn’t a lot of things that could render Tomoe speechless, but when it comes to Saya, all it takes is a few heartfelt words and a loving gaze to drive her crazy.

“That’s- thank you, Saya,” Tomoe murmurs, struck breathless from the gleam of Saya’s sunflower hairpin underneath the faint glimmer of the lights. “I like the idea that I’m making other people happy, and that’s what drives me to work harder.”

“And you always do,” Saya reassures her. “I’m sure we’ll see that when we walk around tonight.”

Unsure what else to say, Tomoe extends her other hand for Saya to take and gives it a grateful squeeze. It helps a lot that Saya takes an honest, sincere interest in the things Tomoe enjoys doing, always ready and willing to show her support for both the small and the big things.

“Then let’s go?” Tomoe offers, goosebumps rising across her skin when Saya slips her fingers in the spaces between her own.

“Mmm…” Saya nods, and, on impulse, Tomoe leans in to brush her lips against her hair, heart beating faster at the content sigh it earns her.

And Tomoe just knows she’ll never get tired of hearing it.

* * *

The shopping district is bursting with life and abuzz with excited chatter from the people bustling about and darting back and forth from one place to another. All around them, there are families with small children bouncing up and down uncontrollably, groups of friends talking and laughing out loud, and, of course, a few couples milling about like they have all the time in the world.

Tomoe still can’t believe that she and Saya are one of them now, too, and every time the thought crosses her mind, her hand moves on its own to squeeze Saya’s. And whenever this happens, it prompts Saya to turn and look at her, a giddy smile breaking across Saya’s face as she squeezes back.

“You can leave your bag at our stall first so you don’t have a hard time carrying it around,” Saya suggests as she starts tugging Tomoe in the direction of their stall.

“A-ah, no, it’s okay, Saya! I don’t want to just dump it on your parents,” Tomoe rushes out, but Saya isn’t having any of it.

“Nonsense! Now c’mon, that can’t be comfortable for you.”

Knowing there’s no point trying to dissuade Saya, Tomoe decides to go along with the ride and follows Saya until they’ve reached where her parents are. Saya’s dad greets them both with a wide grin and a wave, and before Tomoe can react, Saya has already grabbed her bag and placed it behind the stand.

“Ohh, good idea, Saya!” Saya’s dad says approvingly.

“Your dad is right, because Tomoe wouldn’t have given her bag to us otherwise,” Saya’s mom supplies teasingly, causing Tomoe to blush.

“I- thank you, auntie and uncle, and s-sorry for the trouble,” Tomoe apologizes, about to bow down when Saya nudges her in the side.

“Aw, come on now, none of that formal stuff!” Saya’s dad feigns disappointment. “We’ve known you since you were a little kid, so don’t go starting that on us, got it?”

“My husband is right, Tomoe. We watched you and Saya grow up together, after all,” Saya’s mom adds.

“That’s right, so don’t worry about us and go have fun, alright? That’s all the thanks we need,” Saya’s dad says, then her mom playfully shoos them away.

Saya giggles as Tomoe gives them a vigorous nod before quickly scrambling to grab her hand, leading them both back out onto the path connecting the other stalls. After a while, Tomoe realizes she’s just wandering around aimlessly, and, ears going red, she stops dead in her tracks with Saya following her.

“So, uh, is there someplace you want to check out first?” Tomoe asks Saya sheepishly.

“Why, Tomoe, I thought you’d never ask,” Saya teases, mirth shining in her eyes.

Tomoe lets out an awkward laugh and slaps the back of her neck with her free hand. “S-sorry, I got a bit too carried away there.”

“Well, you certainly carried me away,” Saya remarks.

The first thought that comes into Tomoe’s head is her carrying Saya bridal style, and it causes her to choke on air. The amused look Saya gives her only makes things worse, and yeesh, talk about letting her imagination run wild there.

Before Saya can ask why she reacted that way, Tomoe spots the takoyaki stand a few steps away and decides to use that as her means of escape from any more teasing on Saya’s part. “Hey, those takoyaki look delicious! Do you want to try them? My treat!” Tomoe resists the urge to wince at how eager she sounds, hoping and praying that Saya doesn’t notice her desperation to change the topic.

Because really, how is she going to explain that she imagined her and Saya getting married? Ack, no! That’s not even it! All she thought of was carrying Saya bridal style, Tomoe swears that’s it!

She definitely wasn’t thinking of her and Saya… facing each other at the altar… slipping their wedding rings onto each other’s ring finger… getting married…

Feeling her face start to burn up, Tomoe hurriedly averts her gaze because she’s sure to spiral past the point of no return if she doesn’t.

Thankfully, Saya doesn’t comment on this and instead says, “Wow, someone sure is excited for takoyaki.”

Well, might as well go with it now since she’s the one who started it.

“I… kinda felt hungry after the taiko performance?” Tomoe offers tentatively.

Saya grins and pokes at Tomoe’s cheek. “I knew you’d say that, so let’s go get some to eat, alright?”

The owner of the takoyaki stand lights up when he sees Tomoe and Saya approaching, and before Tomoe can pull out her wallet, he vigorously shakes his head and pushes a container of freshly-cooked takoyaki into a startled Tomoe’s hands and says, “This one’s on me, Tomoe-chan! Consider it my thanks for helping us out again this year, yeah?”

“B-but you have to let me pay,” Tomoe protests, but it falls on deaf ears as he just waves her off and laughs.

“Nah, kid! I mean, what’s a little takoyaki in return for all the support you and Saya-chan have given us old-timers?”

Tomoe hesitantly glances back and forth between Saya, the container in her hands, and the owner, wondering if it would really be okay if she accepted the offer. She’s never been one to take things without doing or giving something in return since she hadn’t been brought up that way, after all.

As though sensing her worries, Saya gently touches Tomoe’s arm and gives her a warm smile. Reassured by this, Tomoe eventually nods and chooses to take the food, then thanks the owner profusely for his generosity.

Then, not wanting to hold up the line, Tomoe and Saya move to a less-crowded spot, Saya beaming brightly as she watches Tomoe take a careful bite out of the steaming takoyaki. Tomoe groans at the burst of flavor that explodes in her mouth and rolls over her tongue, with Saya content to watch her enjoy eating.

“Okay, this is really, really good,” Tomoe says in approval as she finishes off the rest of her first piece. “You need to try it out, too, Saya! Here.” She sticks a new toothpick into another piece and extends it towards Saya.

Before her brain can catch up to what she did, Saya opens her mouth and takes a hearty bite, a light blush dusting her cheeks as she does so. Then, Saya glances down and shyly tucks a lock of hair behind her ear.

There should be noises coming out of Tomoe’s throat because it feels like she’s making a few of them, but, oddly enough, she can’t hear any of it. Maybe that’s because the loud beating of her heart has completely drowned everything out – everything, that is - except for the dimples that indent the corners of Saya’s mouth.

“You’re right,” Saya agrees, a pleased hum falling from her lips as she moves in to take another bite, more confident than shy this time. “This has to be the best takoyaki I’ve ever tasted.”

Dumbfounded, Tomoe can only watch with her jaw hanging slightly open, her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth and refusing to budge to let her say something, _anything_ – even if they tumbled out a jumbled mess of words and nonsense that Saya wouldn’t understand.

Heck, Tomoe can’t even untangle her own thoughts to begin with.

If Saya notices Tomoe’s internal struggle, she doesn’t show any signs that she does and instead takes a step closer to give Tomoe’s jaw a light peck. Worse (or better) yet, between every piece of takoyaki they finish off, Saya takes a moment to lick her lips, which drives Tomoe insane.

And Tomoe knows it’s so that Saya can get rid of the stickiness, but still…

How she managed to survive that is a mystery Tomoe will never be able to figure out, but at the very least, she’s just glad she didn’t fall unconscious.

“Still hungry?” Saya asks, after Tomoe throws the container away in the garbage can.

Tomoe shakes her head and answers, “Nope, it was pretty filling so I’m good to go.”

“Okay.” Saya links their fingers together and sidles closer to Tomoe, causing their shoulders to brush. “But tell me if you feel like eating again, and then we’ll check out the other food stalls, alright?”

Straightening her expression, Tomoe snaps to attention and gives Saya a mock salute. “Roger that!”

Biting back a laugh, Saya pushes at Tomoe’s shoulder and, voice fond, remarks, “Dork.”

Tomoe grins and bumps their foreheads together. “Guess you’re going to have to keep dealing with that, then.”

“Well,” Saya pauses and does a small shrug, eyes shining like the countless number of stars above and trapping Tomoe in their hold. “There’s nothing I’d love more, Tomoe.”

There’s a gentle, affectionate lilt in the way Saya says it, her voice nothing more than a quiet murmur meant for only Tomoe to hear. Her warmth, soft and serene, reminds Tomoe of the sun’s rays slipping past the curtains of Saya’s bedroom and shining down on them while they’re lounging about; both of them more than content and happy to simply have those peaceful moments all to themselves.

Going by that alone, Tomoe doesn’t think it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Saya is the sun in her sky, or that it’s her who makes the stars come out and shine in the darkness of the night.

And Tomoe doesn’t think there’s anything she’d love more than to watch Saya do and be just that.

* * *

Afterwards, they resume walking down the path separating the numerous kiosks on both sides, arms linked and the pace of their footsteps in perfect sync while they look around for something that would catch their interest. It doesn’t take much farther until Saya tugs on Tomoe’s arm to get her to stop, and then points at a shooting gallery that’s filled with different sorts of prizes.

“So,” Saya starts, a challenging gleam fueling her eyes, “think you can get the grand prize?”

“Do I think I can?” Tomoe scoffs and pushes her sleeves past her shoulders. “I _know_ I will,” she emphasizes with determination burning in her voice.

The man behind the stand grins and waves at the collection of prizes sitting on the shelf behind him. To Tomoe’s relief, the top prize this time isn’t a large stuffed Michelle unlike the last festival they had, but rather a stuffed toy of a dog with red-colored fur.

Then she wouldn’t have to worry about handing it over to Saya when she wins it.

“One whole round, please,” Tomoe says as she pulls out a few bills from her wallet and slides it over the counter.

“One round, coming right up!” The man places the toy gun and ten rubber bullets in front of Tomoe, then motions to the targets lined up in a straight row. “If you take down all ten targets, you win the grand prize, so the less you hit, the smaller the prize you get.”

“Gotcha,” Tomoe affirms with a resolute nod, then loads the bullets into the gun. Thankfully, she’d gotten a few tips and tricks from Sayo on how to hit the targets most effectively, so she’s confident that she has this.

Taking a deep, steady breath, Tomoe aims at the first target and then fires the shot. The cut-out cardboard goes down, and Tomoe takes a moment to breathe before moving to the next one. She repeats this process until she gets to the last one, the tension now having reached its peak from Saya’s awed and expectant gaze.

 _This is it_ , Tomoe thinks to herself. It’s either she gets this or she doesn’t, and she’ll be damned if she fails now. But there’s no use letting the pressure get to her; she’s made it this far and she sure as heck will see it through the end.

With that thought in mind, Tomoe holds her breath to keep from any unwanted movements, and then, focusing solely on the target, she takes the final shot.

The rubber bullet whizzes in the air, heading straight to where Tomoe had aimed; after what feels like an eternity, the bullet takes its mark and the target takes the hit before eventually falling down, much to Tomoe’s excitement, Saya’s awe, and the stall owner’s shock and delight.

Fingers trembling from the high of her success, Tomoe sets down the gun and faces Saya with a face-splitting grin. “I did it, Saya! I- I hit all of them!”

At that, Saya laughs and throws her arms around her neck, looking every bit as exhilarated as Tomoe does. “That was amazing, Tomoe!” she exclaims, face shining with sheer excitement and unbridled joy.

“C-congratulations! Here’s your prize for a job well done!” The man hurriedly grabs the stuffed dog from the shelf and hands it over to Tomoe.

“Thanks!” Tomoe takes the prize, about to offer it for Saya to take when a little girl comes bounding towards them, eyes wide as she stares at the stuffed toy in wonder.

“Wow, that’s a cute doggy!” the little girl says, her eager expression reminding Tomoe of Ako, Jun, and Sana when they’re thrilled about something. “Did you win it, onee-chan?” she asks Tomoe.

Tomoe and Saya exchange a smile, then Tomoe crouches down and holds out the toy for the little girl to take a closer look at. “Yup! He’s very friendly, so you can pet him if you want,” she says, making the little girl’s eyes widen further.

“R-really? Can I?” the girl asks eagerly, prompting Saya to crouch down beside Tomoe.

“Sure! You can hold him, too!” Saya answers with a smile. Tomoe takes this as the cue to place the dog into the girl’s outstretched arms, and when she turns to glance at Saya, a look of understanding passes between them.

“He’s so soft! And cuddly!” the little girl says happily as she hugs the dog tightly.

“You can have him if you want,” Tomoe says.

“Eh, b-but didn’t you win this for the pretty onee-chan?”

The compliment causes Saya to blush and Tomoe to chuckle, warmth blossoming across her chest at the thought that even a kid can see how beautiful Saya is.

“Yeah, she’s really pretty, isn’t she?” Tomoe agrees as she takes Saya in once more, and, like always, it makes her feel like she’s the luckiest person in the world. “Not only that, but she’s very nice, too, and I’m sure she also wants you to bring this doggy home.”

Upon hearing this, the little girl shifts her attention from Tomoe to Saya and shyly asks, “Is that okay, pretty onee-chan? I promise I’ll take good care of him!”

Expression softening, Saya nods and answers, “Mmhmm! I’m sure this doggy will be very happy to go home with you, so you can bring him along, okay?”

“Yay!” the little girl chirps, visibly ecstatic at the gift. “Thank you, onee-chan!”

“You’re welcome!” Tomoe grins. “Where are your mom and dad, by the way? They must be looking for you so you have to go back to them before they get worried sick, alright?”

As soon as Tomoe finishes saying this, a woman hurriedly approaches them from the crowd, relief evident in her expression when she spots the little girl Tomoe and Saya have been talking to.

“Ah, there you are! Please don’t go running off around on your own again, okay?” the woman rushes out worriedly as she pulls the little girl in for a hug. Then, noticing the stuffed toy the girl is holding, she turns to Tomoe and Saya. “Oh dear! I’m so sorry, was my daughter bothering you?”

“Oh, no! It’s fine ma’am, don’t worry,” Tomoe says with a shake of the head.

“But this stuffed dog… are you sure it’s okay for her to have it?” the woman asks hesitantly.

“Absolutely sure,” Tomoe affirms. “Plus, I’m sure she’ll have more fun with it than we would.”

“She’s right,” Saya agrees. “We’d be more than glad if your daughter kept it instead of us.”

Eventually, the woman smiles gratefully and says, “If that’s the case, thank you both for the gift and for keeping an eye out on my daughter.”

“You’re welcome, ma’am,” Tomoe answers politely.

“Well, we’ll be taking our leave now, but thank you again! I really appreciate it…” The woman then bids Tomoe and Saya goodbye before taking her daughter by the hand and leaves in the opposite direction.

Before they vanish in the crowd, however, the little girl beams at Tomoe and Saya and calls out, “Thank you, cool onee-chan and pretty onee-chan!”

With a laugh, Tomoe and Saya wave her one last goodbye before turning to face each other.

“So, cool onee-chan, huh?” Saya points out teasingly.

Tomoe shrugs and flashes Saya a toothy grin. “I liked how she referred to you as the pretty onee-chan, by the way.”

With an embarrassed huff, Saya swats at Tomoe’s arm and mumbles, “Oh, hush, you…”

Still, Saya doesn’t seem to totally reject it, and Tomoe is glad for that. There are already a lot of things Tomoe would do for Saya, and constantly reassuring Saya that she’s more than beautiful is one of them.

“But I’m glad we made that little girl happy, by the way,” Saya says fondly.

“Yeah, me too,” Tomoe agrees. “Must be the big sisters in us jumping out, huh?”

“It sure is, and it’s a good feeling that we were able to show that side of us even outside of our own younger siblings.”

Tomoe hums and wraps an arm around Saya’s shoulder. “I feel the same way, and I’m glad it’s with you I can do this with, Saya.”

Melting into her side, Saya releases a quiet exhale and murmurs, “I’m glad it’s you, too, Tomoe…”

* * *

They both then decide to take a break by sitting on an unoccupied bench, snacking on candied apples that Tomoe had bought while waiting for the fireworks show to start. They’re sitting as close as they can to each other, with the occasional, familiar banter settling in every once in a while.

As far as dates go, Tomoe thinks that this is their best one yet, and hopefully Saya would feel the same by the end of the night. Until then, Tomoe’s job isn’t done, not by a long shot.

The only thing left is to bring Saya to the special spot Tomoe had discovered that has a perfect view of the fireworks, and she plans to make it the best experience possible for Saya.

So, when the announcement that the fireworks are about to start soon blasts from the speakers, Tomoe is quick to rise to her feet and stretch out a hand to Saya.

“Tomoe?” Saya questions, visibly confused. “Where are we going? The show is about to start soon…”

“Yeah, and that’s exactly why we’re going somewhere else,” Tomoe answers mysteriously, adding to Saya’s confusion. Still, she takes Tomoe’s hand, and Tomoe reassures her by saying, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

At that, Saya giggles and points out, “Isn’t that what you normally say before things start to go downhill?”

“I- that’s- I dunno what you’re talking about,” Tomoe denies, though deep down she knows that Saya is right. This isn’t going to be one of those times though, she’s made sure of that.

“Alright, alright,” Saya laughs at Tomoe’s flustered expression and squeezes her hand. “I’ll trust you on this one, so lead the way.”

That’s all Tomoe needs to lead Saya away from the steady trickling of people that start to gather in the streets, until the numerous voices surrounding them have died down to a distant buzzing and they’re truly alone in every sense of the word.

Saya doesn’t say a single word the entire time, and it’s when they reach the park and Tomoe comes to a stop that she finally breaks the silence. “The… park?” she asks slowly and looks to Tomoe for answers.

“Yep! Believe it or not, the view of the fireworks from here is perfect, plus no one ever comes around by the time it starts so we have the place to ourselves,” Tomoe explains as she helps Saya sit on one of the swings.

After making sure that Saya is comfortable, Tomoe takes her place beside Saya and lightly kicks herself off the ground for a few times before staying still again. Then, without looking, Tomoe reaches for Saya’s hand and brings it to her knee, smiling softly as she strokes Saya’s knuckles.

She’s lost count of the number of times she’s held Saya’s hands from the time they were kids, but even after all these years, they still feel like a perfect fit against her own.

Beside her, Saya shifts to her side until their knees are touching, and Tomoe rubs them together until Saya chuckles and nudges her foot. Just then, the first crackling of the fireworks soaring into the sky rings through the air, snapping both Tomoe and Saya’s attention to them.

And it’s perfect – the view of the different colors that light up the darkness, the sound of the fireworks going off to compliment them; Saya gasping and watching in awe at the way they spread out to fill the vastness of the sky before fading away; Saya’s hand in hers; the steady beating of her heart from having Saya with her, from having Saya _close_ to her.

Breath catching in her throat at the thought, Tomoe looks away from the brightly-lit sky to gaze at Saya, and what she sees has her heart thumping louder and faster against her chest.

The explosion of colors that fill the sky are reflected in Saya’s eyes, along with the millions of stars that have been shining in them for as long as Tomoe could remember.

When the last of the colors fade away and they’re blanketed in silence again, Saya turns to face Tomoe and says, “You were right, Tomoe. The fireworks were lovely to look at from here.” Still not having recovered from her realization, Tomoe can only nod in response, causing Saya to wrinkle her forehead in worry. “Tomoe…? Are you okay?” Saya asks in concern.

Tomoe nods moves to kneel in front of Saya and, voice rough, answers, “Yeah, I’m- I’m perfect.” Then, with a slow exhale, she murmurs, “It’s- you’re beautiful, Saya.”

This causes Saya’s eyes to go wide, heat beginning to creep across her cheeks as she bites her lip. “T-Tomoe? I- where is this coming from?”

Saya sounds nothing short of confused and startled; Tomoe reaches out to cradle her face and swallows the lump in her throat before continuing, “I just remembered what that little girl said, when she called you pretty, and I want you to know I also mean it when I say you’re beautiful, Saya. Because every time I look at you, I just- it blows me away how you’ve got so much to give and how you’re never afraid to show it.”

“That’s because of you, too, you know…” Saya whispers. “One of the reasons I love these festivals so much is because I get to see how happy you are running around to look for someone to lend a hand to. And honestly?” she leans in to rest her forehead against Tomoe’s and smiles. “There’s never a day where I don’t feel lucky and grateful that I have you in my life, Tomoe, and you definitely made tonight extra special for me.”

A swell of emotion rises in Tomoe’s chest, strong and fierce and the feeling only intensifies when Saya brushes her lips along her hair before moving on to press her lips against Tomoe’s forehead.

But it doesn’t stop there, because Saya pauses for a moment to breathe out, “Everything you do is special to me, Tomoe.”

And Tomoe has always loved the sound of the fireworks exploding in the air, but the affectionate lilt of Saya’s voice when she says Tomoe’s name and the sound of her own heartbeat when she’s with Saya are on a completely different league of their own. She can’t tell how, exactly, but Tomoe just knows it’s different – different from the way it beats when she’s performing with everyone else in Afterglow, different from when she strikes at the taiko drums, different from every other thing she does that excites her.

What Tomoe is a hundred-percent sure of, though, is that she loves the way Saya makes her feel, loves the beat and all the bright colors Saya continues to put in her heart and everything else in her life.

Releasing a shaky breath, Tomoe whispers, “Everything you do means a lot to me, too, Saya,” before brushing their lips together for a slow, quiet kiss.

And with the way Saya melts easily into the kiss, with the way she whispers Tomoe’s name along the way, Tomoe feels that beat once more.

* * *

(By the end of the night, after Tomoe has walked Saya home and said her goodnights to Saya’s parents and Jun and Sana, she finds herself feeling grateful all over again for the home Saya had given her here.

And when Saya smiles and kisses her good night, giggling as Tomoe sneaks in a few more before finally breaking away, it’s how Tomoe knows that she, too, was able to put her own beat in Saya’s life.)


End file.
